Irina's Poetry Corner

Not long ago I was nominated by the very talented A. F Stewart, writer of horror stories and lovely poetry too, in the One Lovely Blog Hop 9 (check her latest book here). The challenge is to list seven interesting facts about oneself. I cannot guarantee that mine are particularly interesting. But let’s get the ball rolling anyway!

Here are the RULES:
Share seven facts about yourself.
Link to at least 15 blogs that you enjoy.

Here are my FACTS:

Fact 1: I’m blogging because I can’t dance or go for long walks any longer – I had both hips replaced in the year 2000 – so writing and taking photos provide an outlet for my creative energies.

Fact 2: I’ve been married for 56 years and still enjoy my husband’s company. (Although, occasionally, we get on each other’s nerves, which of course makes for a perfectly healthy marriage!) Speaking of my husband, I’m very grateful to him for giving me a little digital camera about three years ago and last year he bought me a smart phone, which has a camera of course and a video camera too, a perfect toy for an 8O-year-old. However, I deliberately disabled the Internet connection to avoid being glued to it 24/7.

 Fact 3: I miss my dogs Max and Sibby and Mickey the cat. They all passed away one after the other in 2002. I also miss my neighbours’ pets; I used to look after them when their owners went on holidays. Two of them appear in my recently published book ‘Dreams On My Pillow’. These days I’m too tired to look after a four-legged animal – chronic fatigue is my silent curse. But I do have enough energy to look after a canary (his name is Pavarotti) and feed the local birds on our balcony (they and the canary also appear in my book). I sleep with Softy Noo, my pet that doesn’t need a vet – he’s in my book too.

 Fact 4: I love laughing and when I laugh my head off I cackle like a kookaburra. I remember once going to the cinema with my parents to see ‘The African Queen’ and laughing my head off at Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn in that boat while the rest of the audience were more or less silent. They were turning their heads to have a look at this lunatic, namely me. My dad decided that I should not be allowed to go to the cinema any more. My mum, as always, intervened on my behalf.

 Fact 5: No one makes yoghurt soup like I do: two tablespoons of natural yoghurt in a large mug of hot water. You can’t get anything as delicious in any restaurant! It’s my staple food.

 Fact 6: I’m scared of lifts, tunnels and heights and yet I climbed the highest peak of the highest mountain in my country of origin when I was 16. The mountain is called Triglav, which means ‘three heads’, as it has three peaks, is 2863 metres high and is in Slovenia, once part of Yugoslavia. I’ve always liked mountains better than the sea and dreamed of revisiting Triglav. That dream will for ever remain just a distant dream.

 Fact 7: I enjoy studying Greek Mythology through Aquileana’s marvellous posts on her blog ‘La Audacia de Aquiles’. Those gods and goddesses are so much like humans except that they, unlike humans, possess magical powers and can perform tricks to their advantage. Aquileana’s posts are well researched and copiously accompanied with works of art. Pure delight!

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And here are my NOMINEES:

La Audacia de Aquiles
Poetic Parfait
Maxima
Cee’s Photography
The Crazy Bag Lady
Rethinking Life
Have a Bag, Will Travel
Uncle Spike’s Adventures
Pursuit of Happiness
Friendly Fairy Tales
Our Rumbling Ocean
It Goes On
Jaspa’s Journey
Sebastian Stead
Lin’s Doodles
Birds of Malwa

Geez, I could go on but I’m beginning to run out of steam! Oh well, just click on the linked names to see the fascinating blogs or websites.

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 You are under no obligation to join in. However, if you decide to join in the fun, please link back to me (as I am the person who nominated you) and pass the hop on to 15 blogs (more or less as you wish). If you’ve already participated, just ignore the nomination.

Cheers 🙂 Irina